Kerosenes and gasolines are usually refined so that the total sulphur content remaining in the product delivered to the ultimate consumer is reduced usually to a 0.2% by weight. A further reduction of the sulphur content in such fuels is not warranted by reason of the costs involved in a further reduction of the sulphur content.
Referring now to the coal producing industry, it can be stated that they are not process-research oriented and its air-pollution research and development has, at best, been fragmented. Low sulphur content coal is in very limited quantity and a number of municipalities have enacted ordinances banning the burning of coal for any purpose where such coal has a higher sulphur content than that set forth in the aforesaid ordinances. Thus, there is presented a situation which necessitates a choice on only burning a coal with a sulphur content therein within the limits set forth in ordinance guidelines or provide for the employment of a coal having a higher sulphur content than that ordinance authorized and make provision to reduce the sulphur dioxide emitted into the atmosphere upon the combusting of such high sulphur content coal. The same theory applies to liquid and/or gaseous fuels which have an undesirable amount of sulphur therein and when combusted, an undesirable amount of sulphur dioxide is exhausted into the surrounding atmosphere.
With the above in mind, it is the primary object of the invention to provide a simple and economical means for effecting a reduction of emission of sulphur dioxide into the surrounding atmosphere when a high sulphur content fuel is combusted.
Another object of the invention is to feed under pressure an alkali into a combustible substance, immediately prior to the feeding of such combustible into the burner structure so as to insure a mixture of such alkali with said combustible substance prior to combustion thereof, to obviate the release of carbon dioxide into the surrounding atmosphere when said combustible material is combusted.
Another object of the invention is to provide a means whereby an alkali in either liquid or powder form is pressure forced into a solid charge of combustible material, such as coal and/or coke, wherein such alkali material will, upon combustion of the combustible material, neutralize the sulphur dioxide formed during the combustion of the said combustible material.
Another object of the invention is to improve the qualities of a fuel employed in an internal combustion engine. The sulphur dioxide formed by the combustion of a sulphur containing fuel results in corrosion of the parts of the engine and parts associated therewith, and here again, the object of the invention is to reduce the amount of such corrosion by treating such fuel, prior to combustion of such fuel, to an alkali which will neutralize the usually formed sulphur dioxide.
A still further object of the invention is to provide for an easy manner in which the structure of the present invention may be conveniently adapted to existing structures, using either a liquid or a solid fuel for combustion.
Other objects will be apparent from the following description and claims, which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the invention, and the principles thereof, and which is now considered to be the most advantageous mode in which to apply such principles. Other embodiments embodying the same or equivalent principles may be applied by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.